The Princeton Review names Rowan to 2014 "Green Guide"

The Princeton Review names Rowan to 2014 "Green Guide"

Just in time for Earth Day, Rowan University has been named one of the “greenest” colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada by The Princeton Review.

Selected from among 832 four-year schools, Rowan will be included in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 332 Green Colleges: 2014 Edition.”

Colleges and universities were surveyed on a wide range of environmental issues and, when scored, only those that tallied 83 or better were included on the list. Rowan scored 86.

The Princeton Review compiled the fifth annual volume, released just ahead of Earth Day on Tuesday, in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

“Inclusion in the Green Guide is significant not just because we care about the environment but, perhaps more significantly, because students care about the environment,” said Donald Moore, senior vice president for facilities, operations and planning at Rowan.

Of the schools chosen, 330 are in the U.S. and two are in Canada.

The Princeton Review chose the schools based on a survey conducted in 2013 of administrators to measure their schools' commitment to the environment and sustainability. The survey included questions on the schools' course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.

Rob Franek, senior vice president and publisher of The Princeton Review, said Rowan’s long commitment to a clean environment, from a robust recycling program to an on-campus co-generation electricity plant, made it a natural inclusion in the Green Guide.

"We are pleased to recommend Rowan University to the many students seeking colleges that practice and promote environmentally-responsible choices and practices," he said.

Franek said the recent findings indicate significant interest among college applicants in attending "green" colleges.

Rowan “Green Highlights” included in the guide note that:

Every student at Rowan University has at least three opportunities to help RU carry out its sustainability agenda, starting with Move-In Cardboard Capture, which keeps tons of boxes out of landfills each year. Homecoming is a zero-waste event and Dorm Rescue is an end-of-year campaign that diverts clothing, books, and other items out of landfills.

Rowan was among the first schools in New Jersey to convert to single-stream recycling.

The university has invested several million dollars in a cogeneration plant that uses natural gas to generate most of its electricity.

Waste heat from electric generation is used to heat and cool university buildings.

A campus-wide recycling program, coupled with other environmental initiatives, has earned RU ten major awards from federal and state agencies over the last several years.

RU Green, a group of undergraduate and graduate students, focuses on sustainability issues such as recycling, energy conservation, and clean transportation.